Marleau's hat trick saves the
daySJ wins in shootout after center's late
heroics

11/27/09 - By Mike Lee -

Dany Heatleys first appearance in Edmonton
since he rejected a trade to the Oilers was an anti-climactic one, but the
Sharks made things interesting in their own way, by battling back from two
Oiler leads in the 3rd period and winning a 5-4 head scratching battle in the
shootout. Patrick Marleau led the Sharks charge with his 3rd career hat trick,
and Joe Thornton added three assists to lead San Jose.

With all the
Heatley hype, San Jose looked to take the Edmonton crowd out of the game early.
Edmonton looked eager to set some of the tone with physical play out of the
gate. That physical play would play a role in the games first goal.

Jean-Francois Jacques retaliated after Ryane Clowe was about to be
whistled for hooking. Jacques undisciplined hit on Clowe well after the whistle
has sounded at 3:13, resulted in fisticuffs between the Oilers winger and
Frazer McLaren.

The ensuing 4-on-4 provided the Sharks with a little
more ice, and their top line would take advantage. Heatley started things by
winding the puck around the Oilers end boards to Thornton, who was parked
behind the Edmonton net. Thornton quickly sent a centering pass to Patrick
Marleau in the slot for the one-time chance that beat Oilers netminder Jeff
Deslauriers.

Both teams wouldnt generate much in terms of
offensive chances the remainder of the period, but the Oilers continued to try
and intimidate San Jose with their physical play. A Ryan Potulny check on Jamie
McGinn incited a reaction from Jed Ortmeyer, sending both players to the box
for more 4-on-4 play right before the end of the period.

The Sharks
would cough up the lead midway though the 2nd period on a play similar to the
three short-handed goals they surrendered on Wednesday night to Chicago . As
Dan Boyle tried entering the Oilers zone, his dump in chance was intercepted at
the blueline by Potulny who raced up the ice uncontested, slipping his
breakaway chance between Evgeni Nabokovs pads for his 4th goal of the
season.

San Jose s uninspired play to start the 3rd period would
bite them early. Dustin Penner converted his 14th goal of the season after the
Sharks seemed disinterested in playing. Combine that with rookie defenseman
Jason Demers falling on the play, and the Sharks were down 2-1 after Penner
raced up the slot and beat Nabokov at 2:07 on a rebound off Gilbert
Brules shot.

Brule would tack on another goal 2 minutes later to
make it 3-1 Oilers. Penner sent a shot in on net from the right corner, but
defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic whiffed on a clearing attempt. The puck landed
on Brules stick at the top of the crease, for the easy deposit.

Marleau would score his second of the night at 5:55 of the period after
Thornton sent a backdoor pass through the crease. Marleau circled toward the
net from the right circle as Thornton sat perched behind the right post, then
one-timed the feed past Deslauriers.

San Jose would knot the game at 3-3 less than 3
minutes later, after the Sharks were on a delayed penalty. With Thornton
hobbled by a cross-check from Jacques, the Sharks used the extra skater to get
numbers in front of the Oilers net. Clowe found himself with a rebound in the
slot, but he was forced to do a 180-degree about face toward the net, before
getting a shot that slipped just inside the left post.

Potluny would
score his second of the night at 14:57 after another Sharks turnover. Ethan
Moreau picked of a Thornton pass and wound he puck around the end boards to
Ladislav Smid in the left corner. Smid carried the puck back toward the
blueline, before sliding a pass to Potulny, who was parked all by himself in
the slot. Potulny wound up on the 20-foot shot, beating Nabokov for the 4-3
lead.

The Sharks seemed lifeless the last 5 minutes of regulation,
allowing the Oilers to roam free in the San Jose zone. Kent Huskins was
whistled for holding the stick with 1:40 to play, seemingly killing any chance
of a Sharks comeback, but San Jose somehow managed to get it done.

First Boyle carried the puck up the ice, getting a shot on goal, and forcing
Deslauriers to hold on to the scoring chance. Thornton and Marleau teamed up
for the improbable goal with 1:26 left in regulation. After losing the faceoff,
the puck trickled toward the Oilers net, where Thornton tapped it back to the
slot where Marleau was cutting for the easy deposit. The goal would cap
Marleaus 3rd career hat trick, and allowed the Sharks to get to the extra
session.

The remainder of Huskins penalty carried into the overtime,
but San Jose killed it off. San Jose looked poised to end it in the extra
session when Sheldon Souray clipped Thornton with a high stick, but Joe
Pavelski was sent off for hooking 19 seconds later.

In the shootout,
Patrick OSullivan missed wide. Marleau would also miss wide left. Gagne
bounced a shot off Nabokov to keep it scoreless. Pavelski atoned for his
overtime penalty with a snap shot that beat Deslauriers low to the glove side.
Nabokov would end it by gloving a backhand chance by Penner.

Game
Notes:

The multi-goal performance by Marleau was the 35th of his
career, putting him in front of Owen Nolan for the franchise lead.

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